circular, profusely inlaid, the central field depicting the Mahmal procession, the border with inscription cartouches with interspersed roundels
57 cm. diam.

Footnotes

Inscriptions: around the rim; Qur'an, chapter II (al-baqara), verse 255, followed by 'Mighty God told the truth and generous Messenger told the truth'; on the mahmal, ma sha allah, 'What God wills' Qur'an, chapter XLVIII (al-fath) verse 1 and part of 2, ya hafiz 'O The Preserver!'; on the standard, the first part of the shahada ya Fattah, 'O The Opener (of all doors)!', ya hannan, 'O The Compassionate!'.

The mahmal was the ceremonial palanquin carried on a camel, which was the centre of the pilgrim caravan, and was the symbol of authority of the sultan over the holy places. Its origins are uncertain: it might hark back to the tradition of a palanquin carrying a high-ranking female accompanying military campaigns for encouragement, a role the Prophet's wife was said to have had. The first sultan known to send the mahmal was Baybars (AD 1260-77). Following the Ottoman conquest of Egypt in 1517, the Ottomans also sent a mahmal from Damascus, as did the Yemenis on occasion. After the pilgrimage, the mahmal did not stay in Mecca, but was taken back to Cairo. For further information on the procession, see Venetia Porter, (ed.), Hajj journey to the heart of Islam, London, 2012, pp. 141-45.

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- Islamic and Indian Art
- Modern & Contemporary South Asian Art

A rare and large Mamluk Revival silver and copper inlaid brass Tray depicting the Mahmal procession to Mecca Damascus, 19th Century

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Oliver White